Nancy Joan Hughes

Nancy J. (“Nana”) Hughes, 87, passed away on August 2, 2026, in Clearwater, Florida. Nancy was born in Terre Haute, Indiana on February 17, 1939, and graduated from Wiley High School as Valedictorian in 1957. She attained a teaching degree in 1960 from Indiana State University where she was a member of Gamma Phi Beta sorority. She was again Valedictorian of her class and was selected by the faculty as “Miss Page One”, the graduating senior whose name had appeared on page one of the school newspaper the most. After graduation, she taught French, English and Geography at several schools. She married her college sweetheart, Gary Stoker, and moved with him to San Diego where she learned to love margaritas. She furthered her education by obtaining a Master’s degree in American Culture from the University of Michigan in 1966. In 1970, she moved to Tampa and spent many weekends watching her children participate in swim meets. She also enjoyed spending time at her home on the Weeki Wachee River. Nancy later married Warren Hughes and moved to Clearwater, where she treasured her view of Clearwater Bay for 35 years. She was blessed to later meet Duane Houtz, and they spent over a decade enjoying their golden years while traveling, working out, and spending time together until his passing in 2025.

Nancy enjoyed traveling, Mahjong (playing weekly and teaching her friends to play), tennis, golf, knitting, volunteering and especially spending time with her children and grandchildren. Over the years, she attended numerous swim meets, basketball and baseball games and other events to cheer on her grandchildren.

Nancy is survived by her two children, Valerie Litschgi (Al) and Doug Stoker (Ronda) and her eleven grandchildren, Tori, Byrne and Brett Litschgi, Courtney Latta, Kyle and Bradley Stoker, Sarah Hughes Cook (Tylere), Davis and Graham Hughes, Trey and Emma Wolfe, Jacob Hughes, great-grandson, Cameron Cook, and her sister Sandra Christeson of Santa Barbara, California, in addition to extended family, and a lifetime of friends. Nancy’s kind heart, generous spirit and warm smile will be greatly missed.